Plate blank for carrying devices for bottles and a carrying device for bottles

ABSTRACT

A plate blank of cardboard or a similar material consisting of a plurality of carrying devices for bottles, which devices are interconnected by weakening lines so that the plate blank as a unit can be mounted on all the bottles which are arranged vertically in a case, and the weakening lines simultaneously or later can be broken, so that a plurality of carrying devices each engaging a group of bottles are constituted in the case, so that the carrying devices with bottles can be removed from the case independently. The invention also includes a carrying device of the said kind having stiffening flanges along their edges and in another embodiment two layers, so that each carrying device in loaded condition is shaped like a three-dimensional beam with great strength and stiffness.

United States Patent 1 Smed [ 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] PLATE BLANK FORCARRYING DEVICES FOR BOTTLES AND A CARRYING DEVICE FOR BOTTLES [75]Inventor:

Denmark [73] Assignee: Packaline AG, Zug, Switzerland [22] Filed: Nov.25, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 92,820

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 1, 1969 Sept. 8, 1970Denmark ..6363 Denmark ..461 9 [52] U.S. Cl ..294/87.2, 206/65 E, 224/45AB [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 71/00 [58] Field of Search ..294/87.2; 206/65 C,65 E;

224/45 AB, 45 BA [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1968 Wood..294/87.2 3/1956 Toensmeier ..294/87.2

Preben Smed, Copenhagen Vanlose,

3,l52,695 10/1964 Stewart ..206/65 C 2,823,062 2/l958 Toensmeier....294/87. 2

l/l967 Krooss et al.

Primary Examin'erEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. CherryAttorney-Bucknam and Archer [57] ABSTRACT A plate blank of cardboard ora similar material consisting of a plurality of carrying devices forbottles, which devices are interconnected by weakening lines so that theplate blank as a unit can be mounted on all the bottles which arearranged vertically in a case, and the weakening lines simultaneously orlater can be broken, so that a plurality of carrying devices eachengaging a group of bottles are constituted in the case, so that thecarrying devices with bottles can be removed from the caseindependently. The invention also includes a carrying device of the saidkind having stiffening flanges along their edges and in anotherembodiment two layers, so that each carrying device in loaded conditionis shaped like a three-dimensional beam with great strength andstiffness' 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JAN 1 6 I975 SHEET 1 [IF4 CDC? PATENTEDJAH 16 I915 3,711,143

SHEET 2 BF 4 Fig. 2 051112 89 0 131351 Fig. 4

PLATE BLANK FOR CARRYING DEVICES FOR BOTTLES AND A CARRYING DEVICE FORBOTTLES The invention relates to a plate blank of cardboard or a similarmaterial for forming a number of carrying devices, each adapted toengage and carry a number of bottles of a larger group of bottlesstanding upright in a case, the said carrying devices having holes forreceiving the bottle necks, and webs which are provided around the holesand so adapted that when bent out they constitute supporting webs forprojecting parts of the bottle necks, each carrying device having fingergrip means.

It has become practice to provide bottles with carrying means placed onthe neck of a certain number of bottles, for example four or sixbottles, which can then be carried by means of the carrying device. Ithas also been proposed to place such groups of bottles in a bottle casecapable of receiving a number of groups having each its carrying device.

It is known to place a continuous, strip-formed plate blank on twoparallel rows of bottles and subsequently to separate the blank into anumber of carrying devices along transverse cutting lines, the saidcarrying devices with their bottles being then each of them separatelyplaced in a case. This method is comparatively timeconsuming and ratherdifficult to automatize.

The plate blank according to the present invention has the essentialfeature that it is of a form conforming substantially to the opening ofthe case and is provided with weakening lines extending parallelly withthe rows of bottles and defining the individual carrying devices.

With the plate blank formed in this manner it may be placed as a wholeon the bottles in a case, after which a suitable working plunger maypress the total plate blank down over the total number of bottle necksand possibly break the weakening lines simultaneously so that the plateis divided into a number of separate carrying devices, each engaging andcarrying a group of bottles. As as result, both the manufacture and thearrangement of the carrying devices on bottles in cases may be performedquickly and fully automatically.

The invention is also concerned with various embodiments of carryingdevices of the aforesaid kind, by which special advantages are obtainedas will appear from the following description Thus, according to theinvention there is provided a carrying device which'may have acomparatively great rigidity and carrying capacity with the use ofsupporting flanges produced by punching and folding.

To ensure easy deformation and tearing up and for economical reasons theplate material preferred is comparatively thin, but thereby it will bedifficult to obtain the necessary rigidity and carrying capacity. Thisdifficulty is relieved by the present invention by making the carryingdevice of two layers, converting it to a hollow section of greatrigidity when folding it. v

The invention is also concerned with such a twolayer carrying device inwhich the lower plate portion is provided with outwardly bendableguiding webs which facilitate the introduction of the bottle necks intothe carrying device and afford lateral support for the bottle necks.

Various embodiments of a plate blank and a carrying device according tothe invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, inwhich FIG. 1 is a top view of a punched plate blank,

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line II-II of FIG; 1, when the twolayers are glued together,

FIG. 3 is the carrying device, according to FIG. 2 in working position,

FIG. 4 is the same as in FIG. 3, showing a modified embodiment,

FIG. 5 the upper plate portion for a carrying device according to FIG. 4in its flat condition,

FIG. 6 the lower plate portion for the carrying device according to FIG.4 in its flat condition,

FIG. 7 the carrying device according to FIGS. 4-6, viewed in perspectiveand in its active position,

FIG. 8 a part of the lower plate portion of a carrying device in amodified embodiment, and

FIG. 9 a part of FIG. 4 showing a modified embodiment.

FIGJI shows a punched plate blank according to the invention. The blankconsists of two rectangular plate portions 1 and 2 joined along afolding line 3 and made by punching of cardboard or a similar material.The plate portion 1 is provided with side webs 4 serving when the plateblank is placed on top of the bottles in the bottle case to cover thefinger grip openings in the case.

The plate portion 1 is provided with six rows of holes 5, each rowconsisting of five holes. These holes are surrounded by radial cuttings6 forming peripherally arranged webs 7 which are bent out of the planeof the plate when a bottle neck is pressed through the hole 5 and formsupports capable of carrying a bottle by resting against a projectionprovided on the bottle, for example the downwardly directed edge of thebottle cap.

In the following the longitudinal direction of the plate blank isreferred to as the direction from left to right in FIG. 1, whereas thetransverse direction is constituted by the direction up and down in thedrawing, that is, at right angles to the longitudinal direction.

The plate portion 1 is further provided with longitudinal weakeninglines 8 forming a tearing strip 9 between them, of which the plateportion 1 has two parts, which divide the plate portion into threelongitudinal zones, each containing ten holes 5. The plate porhaving itsback directed oppositely that of the folding line 12. l v

The plate portion 2 has a number of openings 14 corresponding to theopenings 5, that is, when the two portions are folded over the foldingline 3, the openings 14 will be concentric with the holes 5.

The holes 14 are provided with radial cuts 15 in one side so as toformthree webs 16 which similarly as the webs 7 constitute supporting webs.

The plate portion 2 is provided with longitudinal weakening lines 17which limit a tearing strip 18. The plate portion 2 has likewisetransverse cutting lines 19, and by means of the said lines there areformed sections corresponding to the sections of the plate portion 1.

The plate portion 2 is further provided with longitudinal folding lines20 extending in the middle of the sections.

On the back of the blank are provided glueing strips a as indicated inFIG. 2; the said glueing strips extend along the tearing lines 8 and 17,that is, on the tearing strips 9 and 18. Furthermore, glueing strips areprovided on either side of the folding line 3 and along the upper andlower edges 21 and 22 of the blank. r The plate is attached to thebottles by being pressed as a unit down over their necks. The bottlenecks 23 with their caps 24 are passed through the openings 14 and S,and as a result the webs 7 and 16 are bent out of the plane of theplates so as to form tongues the edges of which are resting against thelower edge of the caps 24 and a bead 25 on the bottle neck.

As will appear from FIG. 3, the webs 16 will keep the underpart spacedfrom the upper part 1 by its engagement with the bead 25, thus givingthe carrying device the hollow section desired in order to provide therequisite rigidity. As will likewise appear from FIG. 3, the foldinglines 12, 13 and 20 act upon the carrying device in such manner that itbecomes of substantially square cross-section; this applies inparticular when the carrying device is pulled upwards by a personputting two fingers 26 through the openings 11, thus carrying thebottles by means of the carrying device. This loaded condition is shownin FIG. 3, in which the carrying device has assumed a tubular form witha large crosssectional area and consequent very efficient rigidity.

The bottle case with its content may be supplied to the shop with theplates 1, 2 mounted on the bottles, that is, pressed down over thebottle necks as illustrated in FIG. 3, the plate simultaneouslyprotecting. the bottles against dirt and light. When the bottles have tobe removed from the case, one or more of the tearing strips 9, 18 areremoved, which may be done by a single operation, and one or morecarrying devices may then readily be pulled out of the case, the cuttinglines 10, 19 being so weak as to provide no obstacle.

It is alsopossible to break the weakening lines when attaching theplate, and in that case the tearing strips 9 may be dispensed with andsubstituted by ordinary.

weakening'lines.

The embodiment of a carrying device according to the invention as shownin FIGS. and 6 consists of an upper plate portion 101 and a lower plateportion 102. The plate portion 101 has six holes 103 with supportingwebs 104. The plate portion 101 has edge flanges 105 and 106 which maybe bent outwardly over the folding lines 107 and 108. The lower plateportion 102 FIG. 4 is likewise provided with edge flanges 109 and 110which are narrower than the flanges 105 and 106. The flanges 109 and 1may be bent over the folding lines 111 and 112. Opposite each hole 103the edge flanges 105 and 106 form supporting webs 104a, 104b which areat any time lying in the same plane as the flanges 105 and 106 and whichsee FIG. 4 -to serve to keep the flanges 105,1 1 0 and 106,109 obliquelydownwards. The lower plate portion has holes 120 which, when thecarrying device is folded up in three dimensions, are lyingconcentricalwith the holes 103 of the upper plate portion, see FIG. 7.

Along the greater part of the edges of the holes 120 areprovided'guiding webs 121, 122, 123, 124 which may be bent upwards outof the plane of the plate along folding lines 131, 132, 133, and 134 seeFIGS. 4 and 7. The webs are separated by through-going cuttingsextending substantially radially from the holes 120. At such part of theedge of the hole 120 as coincides with the folding line 112 there is noguiding web. The folding lines 131, 132, 133, and 134 and a part of thefolding line 112 constitute in combination a polygon. At the middle ofthe plate portion 102 extends a folding line 137.

The flanges 105 and 106 are glued to the flanges 109 and 110.

Directly before the plate is mounted on the bottles, the flanges arebent obliquely downwards, the central parts of the plate portion 101 andthe plate portion 102 being simultaneously removed from each other. Whenthe carrying device is passed down over the bottle necks 141, 142, thecaps 143, 144 will at first break their way through the openings 120 andthen through the holes 103. When they pass through the openings 120, theguiding webs 121-124 are bent obliquely upwards and the webs 104 arebent upwards in similar manner. The upper end of the said webs willengage the caps beneath their edges. The webs 104a, 1041) willcontribute to keep the flanges in an obliquely downward directedposition. The guiding webs 121, 122, 123, and 124 will together with theflanges 105, 106, 109, 110 act as lateral guides and further make iteasier to pass the carrying devices down over the bottle necks as thewebs will catch and guide the said necks.

As will be seen from FIG. 5, two inner webs 14S and 146 are cut in themiddle of the upper plate portion 101. The said webs may be bentdownwards over folding lines 147 and 148, by which there are formed twofinger grip holes. The webs 145 and 146 are as indicated provided withholes 149 serving to receive guiding pins of an attachment tool (notshown) and for centering same.

The guiding webs 121 and 124 maybe rather wide near the flanges 110 asindicated in FIG. 9. The guiding webs 121 and 124 have a width bsubstantially equal to or slightlylarger than the distance d which isequal to the difference between the width of the flange 105 and theflange 110.

The guiding webs are, as described above, normally limited bysubstantially radial cuttings in the lower plate portion, but thereis'nothin'g preventing the two webs 122 and 123 '-to see FIG. 8 whichare close to the folding line 137 from having 150 cuttings 150substantially parallel with the line 137 That part of the cutting 150which ends at the edge of the opening 20 is, however, bent so as to besubstantially at right to the edge of the hole.

In the foregoing specification are mainly described plate blanksand'carrying devices which are with douapertures of the upper plate toaccommodate extension of the bottle necks through the lower plate, aplurality of web members connected to said lower plate for extensiontherefrom at the apertures thereof to engage and restrain other selectedparts of the bottle necks, and means connecting said upper and lowerplates together along a pair of opposite, spaced-apart junction linesdisposed in generally symmetrical relation to a central plane ofsymmetry, said upper and lower plates being deformable into aconfiguration in which the lower plate is V-shaped about said centralplane and in which the apertures and web members of the upper plate arespaced-apart from corresponding apertures and web members "of the lowerplate to increase the bending resistance of the bottle carrier, saidupper and lower plates being connected together along junction linesspaced from the edges of said plates, and the edge portions of saidplates being joined together to form double-plate thickness flangesreinforcing the bottle carrier against bending under load of thebottles.

2. A bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein said upper and lowerplates are connected together along parallel junction lines that allowsaid upper and lower plates to be positioned, both flat, against eachother with their respective apertures aligned for insertion of bottles.

3. A bottle carrier which comprises an upper plate having a plurality ofapertures for receiving the necks of corresponding bottles to becarried, a plurality of web members connected to said upper plate forexten-.

sion therefrom at said apertures to engage and restrain selected partsof the bottle necks, a lower plate having -a plurality of aperturesaligned with corresponding apertures of the upper plate to accommodateextension of the bottle necks through the lower plate, a plurality ofweb members connected to said lower plate for extension therefrom at theapertures thereof to engage and restrain other selected parts of thebottle necks, means connecting said upper and lower plates togetheralong a first pair of opposite, spaced-apart junction lines disposed ingenerally symmetrical relation to a central plane of symmetry, meansconnecting said upper and lower plates together along a second pair ofjunction lines located between said first pair of junction lines andoriented parallel thereto, and weakening lines disposed in said upperand lower plates and extending along at least one of said second pair ofjunction lines to subdivide the bottle carrier into a plurality ofseparable bottle carrier sections each capable of independentlysupporting for carrying a distinct group of bottles, said upper andlower plates being deformable into a configuration in which for eachseparable bottle carrier section a portion of the lower plate associatedtherewith is V-shaped to increase the bending resistance of the bottlecarrier section.

4. A bottle carrier according to claim 3 wherein said upper and lowerplates have matching peripheral edges dimensioned to engage respectivesides of a bottle case.

5. A bottle carrier according to claim 3 wherein said upper and lowerplates have weakening lines disposed to subdivide the bottle carrierinto two classes of separable bottle carrier sections, one class ofbottle carrier sections being disposed to receive a different number ofbottles than the other class of bottle carrier sections.

1. A bottle carrier which comprises an upper plate having a plurality ofapertures for receiving the necks of corresponding bottles to becarried, a plurality of web members connected to said upper plate forextension therefrom at said apertures to engage and restrain selectedparts of the bottle necks, a lower plate having a plurality of aperturesaligned with corresponding apertures of the upper plate to accommodateextension of the bottle necks through the lower plate, a plurality ofweb members connected to said lower plate for extension therefrom at theapertures thereof to engage and restrain other selected parts of thebottle necks, and means connecting said upper and lower plates togetheralong a pair of opposite, spaced-apart junction lines disposed ingenerally symmetrical relation to a central plane of symmetry, saidupper and lower plates being deformable into a configuration in whichthe lower plate is V-shaped about said central plane and in which theapertures and web members of the upper plate are spaced-apart fromcorresponding apertures and web members of the lower plate to increasethe bending resistance of the bottle carrier, said upper and lowerplates being connected together along junction lines spaced from theedges of said plates, and the edge portions of said plates being joinedtogether to form double-plate thickness flanges reinforcing the bottlecarrier against bending under load of the bottles.
 2. A bottle carrieraccording to claim 1 wherEin said upper and lower plates are connectedtogether along parallel junction lines that allow said upper and lowerplates to be positioned, both flat, against each other with theirrespective apertures aligned for insertion of bottles.
 3. A bottlecarrier which comprises an upper plate having a plurality of aperturesfor receiving the necks of corresponding bottles to be carried, aplurality of web members connected to said upper plate for extensiontherefrom at said apertures to engage and restrain selected parts of thebottle necks, a lower plate having a plurality of apertures aligned withcorresponding apertures of the upper plate to accommodate extension ofthe bottle necks through the lower plate, a plurality of web membersconnected to said lower plate for extension therefrom at the aperturesthereof to engage and restrain other selected parts of the bottle necks,means connecting said upper and lower plates together along a first pairof opposite, spaced-apart junction lines disposed in generallysymmetrical relation to a central plane of symmetry, means connectingsaid upper and lower plates together along a second pair of junctionlines located between said first pair of junction lines and orientedparallel thereto, and weakening lines disposed in said upper and lowerplates and extending along at least one of said second pair of junctionlines to subdivide the bottle carrier into a plurality of separablebottle carrier sections each capable of independently supporting forcarrying a distinct group of bottles, said upper and lower plates beingdeformable into a configuration in which for each separable bottlecarrier section a portion of the lower plate associated therewith isV-shaped to increase the bending resistance of the bottle carriersection.
 4. A bottle carrier according to claim 3 wherein said upper andlower plates have matching peripheral edges dimensioned to engagerespective sides of a bottle case.
 5. A bottle carrier according toclaim 3 wherein said upper and lower plates have weakening linesdisposed to subdivide the bottle carrier into two classes of separablebottle carrier sections, one class of bottle carrier sections beingdisposed to receive a different number of bottles than the other classof bottle carrier sections.